Thornless Blackberry Garden Giant - Rubus fruticosus

The 'Garden Giant'  Blackberry is a fruiting Bramble (Rubus fruticosus) remarkable for its large fruits. It grows rapidly and vigorously, so training its long branches along a wall or on a sturdy trellis is essential. This self-fertile variety is relatively early and produces its big, sweet blackberries as early as August. They can be enjoyed fresh or used in desserts, pies, or jams. This Bramble does not have thorns and its finely cut foliage is quite decorative. It should be planted in ordinary soil, not too dry to moist, in full sun or partial shade.

The Rubus fruticosus 'Garden Giant' Blackberry belongs to the large and vital Rosaceae family, which provides us with a multitude of ornamental species (Roses, of course, but also Photinia, Cotoneaster, Amelanchier...) as well as most of our temperate climate fruit trees (Pear, Apple, Cherry, Peach, Apricot, Plum...). Rubus is highly diverse, with at least 500 species in France alone and probably a thousand worldwide. Some are ornamental, with decorative or aesthetically pleasing white shoots, as in Rubus thibetanus. And others have culinary interests, like raspberries (Rubus idaeus) and blackberries (Rubus fruticosus).

'Garden Giant' Blackberry is a vigorous variety that can reach a height of 5m (16ft) and a width of 2.5m (8ft). The plant has attractive, deeply cut, dark green foliage with serrated edges. This unique foliage has real ornamental value in the garden. This bramble is thornless, making harvesting the fruits from the unarmed branches easy. The branches reach maturity in the second year and can then produce fruit. But before that, the abundant honey-scented flowering displays numerous small white flowers, 1.5 to 2 cm (1in) in diameter, grouped in clusters in May and June. The fruits that appear afterwards are formed by drupes clustered on the receptacle, adherent. They are large, initially red and then turning black by August. They are ready to be picked and have a deliciously sweet taste. They can be consumed fresh, used in pies or jams, and frozen.

The 'Garden Giant' Bramble, with its finely cut leaves, is decorative for much of the year and can gracefully cover a wall. Of course, its main attraction lies in its succulent large blackberries, which can be combined with Marastar raspberries, a perpetual variety produced from July to October. Also consider blackcurrant bushes and currant bushes, such as the variety Rovada with its long clusters of fragrant, slightly acidic red fruits. And for a touch of originality, sow some Peruvian Ground Cherry, also known as Love in a Cage, whose orange fruits will delight your taste buds at the end of summer.